1 00:00:03,033 --> 00:00:05,866 - Ever think you might want to be a scientist 2 00:00:05,866 --> 00:00:08,066 or that you could work with NASA? 3 00:00:08,066 --> 00:00:11,500 Well, thanks to you citizen science programs, you can. 4 00:00:11,500 --> 00:00:14,000 Find out how next on "Real World." 5 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:20,000 [music playing] 6 00:00:25,266 --> 00:00:28,200 When you picture a scientist, what comes to mind, 7 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:31,000 a person in a white coat, someone stuck in a lab? 8 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:33,766 Actually, scientists are pretty interesting people 9 00:00:33,766 --> 00:00:35,800 doing some really amazing work, 10 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:38,300 and while some scientists do work in a lab, 11 00:00:38,300 --> 00:00:42,000 others work in the field, under the water, or on the computer, 12 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:44,700 the one thing scientists all have in common is that 13 00:00:44,700 --> 00:00:46,233 they're looking for answers 14 00:00:46,233 --> 00:00:48,766 to some serious real-world problems. 15 00:00:48,766 --> 00:00:52,433 But sometimes they need help, so they turn to citizen scientists 16 00:00:52,433 --> 00:00:54,033 to assist with their research. 17 00:00:54,033 --> 00:00:56,100 So what is a citizen scientist? 18 00:00:56,100 --> 00:00:58,000 - I think people are aware that NASA has 19 00:00:58,000 --> 00:00:59,366 many different missions. 20 00:00:59,366 --> 00:01:01,666 We have missions to Mars. We have missions to Saturn. 21 00:01:01,666 --> 00:01:03,933 We have many different missions that are observing Earth. 22 00:01:03,933 --> 00:01:07,166 There's all this data coming in, and quite honestly, 23 00:01:07,166 --> 00:01:10,700 scientists don't have time to go through it all themselves. 24 00:01:10,700 --> 00:01:13,266 And we need people to look at this data and tell us 25 00:01:13,266 --> 00:01:15,800 what discoveries might be waiting there for us. 26 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:19,000 So this is a way for the general public to do serious, 27 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:22,766 publishable science with us, results that we need. 28 00:01:22,766 --> 00:01:25,233 - One of the longest-running citizen science programs 29 00:01:25,233 --> 00:01:28,766 is GLOBE, or the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit 30 00:01:28,766 --> 00:01:30,466 the Environment Program. 31 00:01:30,466 --> 00:01:33,200 GLOBE students from around the world conduct research 32 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:36,533 to measure and monitor changes in their environment. 33 00:01:36,533 --> 00:01:39,733 These citizen scientists learn to use specific tools 34 00:01:39,733 --> 00:01:41,066 before they go out in the field 35 00:01:41,066 --> 00:01:43,133 or begin their work on a computer. 36 00:01:43,133 --> 00:01:45,900 And they follow a protocol, which is a special set of steps 37 00:01:45,900 --> 00:01:47,633 to do their research. 38 00:01:47,633 --> 00:01:50,866 Think of a protocol just like following a recipe for a cake. 39 00:01:50,866 --> 00:01:53,800 But why are protocols so important? 40 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:56,666 - The most powerful thing about science is that it is a tool 41 00:01:56,666 --> 00:01:59,300 to actually discover things about reality. 42 00:01:59,300 --> 00:02:02,133 But we all need to make the same measurements in the same way. 43 00:02:02,133 --> 00:02:04,966 You have to design an experiment so that anybody 44 00:02:04,966 --> 00:02:06,733 anyone in the world could do it the same way 45 00:02:06,733 --> 00:02:08,566 and get similar results. 46 00:02:08,566 --> 00:02:10,600 There's a thing called a scientific protocol, 47 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:13,666 and this means that wherever you are, we're using the same tools 48 00:02:13,666 --> 00:02:16,066 with the same precision, and that means we can 49 00:02:16,066 --> 00:02:17,766 all compare our results. 50 00:02:17,766 --> 00:02:20,100 For example, let's say that somebody asked you to measure 51 00:02:20,100 --> 00:02:22,200 the temperature of where you are. 52 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:24,533 Are you measuring in Celsius or Fahrenheit? 53 00:02:24,533 --> 00:02:26,333 What time of day did you take the measurements? 54 00:02:26,333 --> 00:02:28,400 Did you do it at nighttime or during the daytime. 55 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:31,200 If we simply ask people, "What temperature is it?" 56 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:33,666 We get all kinds of numbers that don't make sense. 57 00:02:33,666 --> 00:02:36,366 But if we specify, "It needs to be this accurate; 58 00:02:36,366 --> 00:02:37,733 you need to use these units; 59 00:02:37,733 --> 00:02:39,566 you need to measure at this time of day," 60 00:02:39,566 --> 00:02:42,700 then all of a sudden, we can bring all of this information 61 00:02:42,700 --> 00:02:45,900 together and compare it and find trends 62 00:02:45,900 --> 00:02:48,633 and make real discoveries about what the world's doing. 63 00:02:48,633 --> 00:02:50,900 That's the power of the precision 64 00:02:50,900 --> 00:02:53,166 of the tools of science, and that's what a scientific 65 00:02:53,166 --> 00:02:54,733 protocol really means. 66 00:02:54,733 --> 00:02:57,533 - Citizen science projects may also require you to practice 67 00:02:57,533 --> 00:02:59,266 some of your math skills. 68 00:02:59,266 --> 00:03:02,200 NASA S'COOL, for example, may ask you to estimate the 69 00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:04,533 percentage of cloud cover in the sky. 70 00:03:04,533 --> 00:03:07,166 Another project might ask for the percent of a leaf 71 00:03:07,166 --> 00:03:09,033 that has been damaged by ozone. 72 00:03:09,033 --> 00:03:12,100 When the same scientific protocols or steps are used 73 00:03:12,100 --> 00:03:15,366 to collect data, that data can be analyzed by scientists 74 00:03:15,366 --> 00:03:17,600 to help them better understand the problem 75 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:18,933 they're trying to solve. 76 00:03:18,933 --> 00:03:21,300 So what are some other opportunities for citizen 77 00:03:21,300 --> 00:03:23,800 scientists to collaborate with NASA? 78 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:26,500 - So which citizen science project should you choose? 79 00:03:26,500 --> 00:03:28,900 Well, this is your chance to do a little shopping and let your 80 00:03:28,900 --> 00:03:30,833 own curiosity be the guide. 81 00:03:30,833 --> 00:03:32,733 The wonderful thing about citizen science is, 82 00:03:32,733 --> 00:03:35,466 you don't need any special skills to get involved. 83 00:03:35,466 --> 00:03:38,100 You as you stand right now are prepared to do 84 00:03:38,100 --> 00:03:39,966 these projects with us. 85 00:03:39,966 --> 00:03:41,766 To me, you really need some curiosity. 86 00:03:41,766 --> 00:03:43,266 Are you curious about the planets 87 00:03:43,266 --> 00:03:45,333 or about the Earth or the universe? 88 00:03:45,333 --> 00:03:47,833 And if you can get us some precious, do the measurements 89 00:03:47,833 --> 00:03:49,900 as carefully as you possibly can, 90 00:03:49,900 --> 00:03:51,533 that will give us the best results. 91 00:03:51,533 --> 00:03:53,366 But you need no special training. 92 00:03:53,366 --> 00:03:54,966 Start it tomorrow. 93 00:03:54,966 --> 00:03:56,600 - It's pretty easy to get started. 94 00:03:56,600 --> 00:03:59,500 Just go to the NASA Citizen Scientists website, 95 00:03:59,500 --> 00:04:02,100 pick a program that catches your interest, 96 00:04:02,100 --> 00:04:04,500 then be sure to make careful observations, 97 00:04:04,500 --> 00:04:06,833 and follow the protocol exactly. 98 00:04:06,833 --> 00:04:08,166 Get out there and help. 99 00:04:08,166 --> 00:04:10,133 You really can make a difference. 100 00:04:10,133 --> 00:04:12,700 See you next time on "Real World." 101 00:04:12,700 --> 00:04:18,700 [music playing]